Wilson County Beekeepers

Meeting Minutes  – Monday, 30 July 2018

Carey Mitchell, Wilson County Beekeepers President called the Monday, July 30 meeting to order at the Ward Ag Center with a total of 52 members and guest in attendance.  After a fire in the West Building kitchen over the weekend, we were moved to the Education Building for the meeting.  The minutes from July 2^nd  meeting were approved with the checkbook balance report.  It was reported that the total membership count is at 196.

Old Business Discussed:

• T-shirts are in. If you pre-ordered, please pick them up and pay for them.  If you didn’t get a chance to order, there are some extras available.  Hopefully in your size and color
• Fair Schedule is at the back table. Still have slots open and would like to complete the schedule tonight.  Passes are available tonight.  If you have anything we can use for display at the fair, please bring it on entry day or call Petra to make arrangements to get it to the fair.  I hope everyone will bring at least one entry for the fair.  We want to fill the shelves and put on the best show possible.  Also the skeps for donations can be picked up.  There are a dozen to a bag.  Take what you think you will fill and bring the rest back.  If there are any left after the fair, we will sell them at cost.  There are jars available for fair competition only.
• Still accepting items for the Fair raffle basket
• Anyone want to be added to the Honey for Sale list at the fair?
• Make sure you check your bees…be sure they have plenty of food on them to get through the dearth, especially if you have taken off honey
• It was reported that the books were delivered to the Lebanon and Mt. Juliet Public libraries
• At the last meeting we were asking for a new librarian, as Kelcie Meador was moving away for college and doing great things. After the meeting, Jennifer Ferguson volunteered to take on the position.  We thank her for stepping up.

New Business Discussed: 

• We were given several boxes of Mite Away and Mentol. If anyone can use it, please help yourself but be careful.  Use according to directions.
• Conference Scholarships? As TBA is no longer providing scholarships (due to lack of participation), WCBA voted to provide 8 one-day scholarships for first time attendees.
• We will have two mascots at the fair this year…a bee and a bear. Anyone willing to wear the costumes is welcome.  Otherwise we will have members of the Junior Fair Board to handle that.

Jessica’s monthly To Do’s

• If you haven’t already done so, take off your honey
• Put empty supers in storage with Paramoth
• Check to make sure your colonies are queenright
• Reduce hive space so bees can control small hive beetles
• check young hives for stores
• If you are going to treat for mites, August is the month to do it, before the bees start raising winter bees.

Farm Day was a huge success and everyone seemed to have a good time.

Howard Kerr from Maryville led a discussion on Summer and Fall Build-up.

Announcements:

• NO MEETING IN AUGUST because of the Fair
• Fair Entry Day is Saturday, August 11 at the Veteran’s Building from 10-3. Hope to see everyone there
• Next Meeting…September 10…Fall and Winter Management with Jim Garrison
• Peggy Scholes has 2 XL full bee suits for sale.

Carey and Jessica handed out door prizes at the end of the meeting Margaret Cantrell, Walt Syes, Laura Lindsey, Jared Brasel, Peggy Scholes, Sterling Earhart and Leonard Walker

The meeting adjourned at 9:14 for refreshments and fellowship.

Respectfully submitted:  Petra Mitchell, Secretary/Treasurer
Wilson County Beekeepers Association
July 31, 2018

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